New York Hub (Columbia) - 7th Hack-Nation Global AI Hackathon
Hey Columbia, kick off your fall semester by building something that matters!
Secure your spot at the Columbia Hub for the 7th Global AI Hackathon, October 3-4, 2026; a weekend for ambitious builders who want to meet exceptional peers, tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and turn bold ideas into real ventures.
Build, prototype, and pitch in just 24 hours, with feedback from mentors and judges whose backgrounds include OpenAI, Meta, Apple, and other leading AI startups.
What’s in it for you?
$30K+ in cash prizes and API credits across approximately 6-8 AI challenges
$200K+ in AI tools and credits available to participating teams
An invitation for the top 1% of teams to join our Venture Lab and continue incubating their startups after the hackathon
The opportunity to meet and build alongside Columbia students, researchers, engineers, designers, and founders
No idea or team required. Come ready to build. Challenge tracks will be provided.
Agenda
October 3
9:00 AM: Check-in opens
9:30–10:00 AM: Hacker Coffee Social
10:00–10:30 AM: Local kickoff and hackathon overview
10:30–12:00 PM: AI & Tech Panel featuring Nathaneo Johnson, Co-Founder of Series; Saad Hazari, Founder of Sarf and Author; and Hashim Syed, AI GTM & Startups at Google, formerly Meta and Microsoft, and Forbes Council Member
1:00 PM: Hacking begins, individually or in teams
2:00 PM: NYC Hub closes
October 4
9:00 AM: Project submission deadline
October 8
Finalists notified
October 10
12:00-1:00 PM: Finalist pitches and award ceremony (virtual)
Spots at Columbia are limited and application-only. No walk-ins.
The New York Hub is collaborating with the Columbia AI Club to bring the local hub to life!
The Global Hackathon is hosted with the MIT Club of Northern California, MIT Club of Germany, and Hack-Nation.
Previous partners and sponsors have included OpenAI, Databricks, Lovable, ElevenLabs, and more.
Learn more: hack-nation.ai